Geography

Equatorial Guinea, formerly Spanish Guinea,
consists of Río Muni (10,045 sq mi; 26,117 sq km), on the western
coast of Africa, and several islands in the Gulf of Guinea, the largest of
which is Bioko (formerly Fernando Po) (785 sq mi; 2,033 sq km). The other
islands are Annobón, Corisco, Elobey Grande, and Elobey Chico. The
total area is twice that of Connecticut.

Government

Dictatorship.

History

The mainland was originally inhabited by
Pygmies. The Fang and Bubi migrated there in the 17th century and to the
main island of Fernando Po (now called Bioko) in the 19th century. In the
18th century, the Portuguese ceded land to the Spanish that included
Equatorial Guinea. From 1827 to 1844, Britain administered Fernando Po,
but it was then reclaimed by Spain. Río Muni, the mainland, was not
occupied by the Spanish until 1926. Spanish Guinea, as it was then called,
gained independence from Spain on Oct. 12, 1968. It is Africa's only
Spanish-speaking country.